Simil Onion, Dwarf Onion - Allium simillimum

Allium simillimum - Simil Onion, Dwarf Onion. Allium simillimum is not a widely distributed plant, being found only in about half of Idaho and only in a few locations in Montana, Nevada, and Oregon. While the USDA Plants Database map only shows Simil Onion in Idaho and a couple of Montana counties, information from other sources gleaned from wildflowersearch.com indicates that it is also present in Oregon and Nevada. I observed only at elevations above 5,000 feet, and while most observations of Simil Onion have been between 4,000 and 10,000 feet, there have been a few observations at both higher and lower elevations.

Similar species:

Allium brandegeei - Brandegee's Onion, which has a longer stem and shorter leaves

Dwarf Onion has 6 white tepals, sometimes tinted with pink or entirely pink. It also has 6 stamens.

Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15

Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D40

The leaves of Allium simillimum are basal, linear, and have a groove along one side. The broader, shorter leaves in the bottom half of the photo are Blue-eyed Mary. You can see one of those blossoms out of focus in the lower left quadrant.

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Site: Boise National Forest, Ada County, ID Date: 2010-June-15

Photographer: Gerald C Williamson Nikon D60

The Dwarf Onion flower clusters are held on a short stem, which is less than half the length of the leaves.